DÉBORA TRAITÈ, THE DETAILS STYLIST

Mar. 28, 2018 · We like artists

I have done it in what I believe to be the best way; by learning a trade. Once I had finished my studies, I started out by assisting some very good styling professionals, some of them teachers, and, at a time when things were always done well, you could say the 'old school' way, I began acquiring the indispensable knowledge which enabled me to pursue my career. I also dabbled in other disciplines within the world of fashion, such as catwalk show production, which also helped give me an understanding of the much more technical side of my work. After that I went to live abroad, spending two years in Berlin, which helped to enrich my soul on an artistic level. A more bohemian world, without schedules or responsibilities enabled me to enjoy and to discover works and artists who, although I wasn't aware of it at the time, opened my world and enriched my personal universe. When I got back to Barcelona, I continued to be faithful to my instincts trying to give my best professionally, both in personal projects and in commercial ones. I had the opportunity to work on a variety of jobs, such as magazine fashion editorials, catalogues and campaigns for different brands such as advertising.

I guess from when I was very young because I used to love cutting outfits out of magazines and putting them together them the way I liked... The thing is I didn't know what styling was when I was a child and I was already living in Barcelona when I discovered that it was an 'activity' that could be turned into a job. I have always felt more comfortable generating images or telling stories through something that is already concrete than generating a new product. It depends on the type of shoot it is, for example: To create an image or campaign for a client, first you need to have a conversation with them and understand the 'story' you are trying to tell. Often you need to produce a creative proposal, which will then serve as a script on which you can develop the wardrobe. Once everything is approved, then comes my favourite part; the shopping, which is searching and searching for things that represent an idea as well as make it unique and special. Then, when the project is more personal, that’s when you can give your imagination full rein, it is very important to build a team in which communication is almost more graphic than verbal, so that you can share a single vision focused on telling a common story. I think it’s very important to be a keen observer, at the end of the day, obviously art, cinema, nature... are stimuli that inspire us all, but I believe that the small details and coincidences one comes across in everyday life are, in the end, the things in which we find genuine inspiration. In the case of Joid'art, Cristina Julià was very clear about the message she wanted to project with this SS18 collection, so it was very easy to get on the same page right off the bat. Working with a consolidated brand with a clear dialogue, which is one I also identify with myself, also made everything very easy. I opted for simple, low-key, neutral tones but with a rich array of patterns and fabrics which I think fits perfectly with the Joid'art philosophy.

I have to admit that I don’t wear much jewellery ... I started studying gemmology (something that due to schedules I wasn't able to do) partly in a bid to continue learning for my work but also because I see gemstones and jewellery as true works of art. I am very organised and focused in my work but I'm hopeless when it comes to jewellery! The pieces I have are left in a drawer because I'm worried I’ll lose them, and how sad that such beauty is hidden away, but my fear of losing them gets the better of me! But if I had to choose, earrings are the pieces I wear most often. For my type of styling what works best would be something tiny! For example, I love small Victorian-style jewellery but unfortunately in photography those little details are almost imperceptible. That said, I feel comfortable working with understated, geometric jewellery, which I feel is a good fit with my work. Also, the trend for large earrings; they make great finishing touches for the styles I put together. What I never do is go over the top; I find it very hard to go for really ornate looks even though it’s beautiful when well done, but you have to be the type of professional for whom more is more and my way of understanding aesthetics is almost the opposite. Hmm.... I don’t have a specific method or system for selection, I am sharing personal work and situations, always trying to generate aesthetic images, or at least within the scope of my aesthetics! Ultimately, my work and personal life are interlinked so it would be very difficult for me to separate the two... Between editorials, campaigns and pieces of inspiration you can find my dog, a treasure found in a flea market or a landscape from a trip.

Simple things… Listen to my favourite song, the sea (I live very close) and even better if I'm walking with Mia, my dog, and looking for shells, attempt to cook, find treasures, discover new artists, enjoy an aperitif with my friends, travel, take photos... I would like to find time to read more, something I feel very guilty about every time I pick up my mobile! I have always believed that shoes, rather than accessories are the cornerstones that support our frame. They are very revealing and a true style staple. I couldn't bear to only own a couple of pairs because that would limit my everyday life A white shirt That’s a hard one!! To be honest there are a lot of very special people doing very good things... One that never fails for me is Venetia Scott, I love her... her narrative, the feminine, the beauty of that which is natural and not necessarily perfect... I love Katrien de Blauwer and even though collage isn't one of my favourite mediums, those small snippets of images that seem to have been torn from another reality and brought to life on a small card, are exciting. I love the Tramuntana collection, even down to the name! The north wind that clears the skies... and with its association to an area of Catalonia that I have only recently discovered and have completely fallen in love with, L'Empordà.